Railroad-tie.



W. J. BELL.

RAILROAD TIE.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 12, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SKEET 1 Elwuwwtoz W. J. BELL.

RAILROAD TIE.

APPLICATION FILED 001. 12, 1910.

Patentd June 13, 1911.

2 SHIBETSBHEET 2.

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AES rn'rnr FFIGE.

WALTER J. BELL, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

RAILROAD-TIE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVALTER J. BELL, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State ofGeorgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Ties, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railroad ties, and it has particular referenceto that class of ties which are constructed wholly or in part of metal,such as cast iron, wrought iron, steel or the like.

The invention has for its object to produce a railroad tie constructedpartly or entirely of metal in a simple, durable and eflicient manner.

A further object of the invention is to pro duce a tie of the characterdescribed which shall be provided with simple and eificient railattaching means, said means being of such a nature that spreading of therails shall be positively prevented.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of partswhich will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of theclaims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings,-Figure l is a view in side elevation showing a simpleand pre ferred form of the improved railroad tie. Fig. 2 is a bottomplan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. 4. is a top planview illustrating a modified form of the invention. Fig. 5 is a top planview illus trating a further modification. Fig. 6 is a transversesectional view taken on the line 6-6 in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a transversesectional view taken on the line 7-7 in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a transversesectional view taken on the line 88 in Fig. 5. Figs. 9, 10 and 11 aretransverse sectional views illustrating modified forms of the invention.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by likecharacters of reference.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 the body of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 12, 1910.

Patented June 13, 1911.

Serial No. 586,698.

improved tie has been shown as consisting of a trough-shaped casting ofapproximately semi-circular cross section, the same being formed ofiron, steel or other metal, and of suitable dimensions, and of suchweight as to insure the necessary strength and durability. The tie body,A, is intended to be embedded in the ground with the convex sidedownward, and the cavity in the upper side may be filled with ballast.

Upon the upper side of the tie body are formed cross bars 2, 2 suitablyspaced apart and having inwardly extending hook flanges 3, 3 which areadapted to overlap the outer portions of the base flanges 4 of the railsB. It is obvious that these flanged cross bars are to be properly spacedapart according to the desired gage of the rails, whether standard orotherwise, and it is also evident that when the rails are positionedwith the base flanges engaging the flanged cross bars they will be heldwith absolute security against spreading or outward displacement.

Upon the convex underside of the tie body are formed lugs or projections5, said lugs being positioned or extended beneath. the rail supportingportions of the tie body.

vThese lugs constitute stop members or anchors for the rail securingbolts which con sist of approximately semi-circular yokes 6 embracingthe undersides of the ties and having threaded ends 7 that are projectedthrough apertures 8 in the inner portions of the base flanges 4 of therails. Nuts 9 are threaded upon the bolts and tightened against the railflanges, thus completing the secure attachment of the rails.

Owing to the fact that the stop lugs 5 are positioned or extendedbeneath the rail sup porting portions of the tie, the bolt yokes willobviously be tilted to the inclined position clearly indicated in thedrawings, thus causing a degree of stress to be exerted in an outwarddirection upon the rails when the nuts 9 are tightened against theflanges. Owing to this tilted or inclined position of the yokes the nutswill also be seated squarely upon the rail flanges which are usuallybeveled or inclined upon their upper faces, and as a natural result ofthis manner of positioning the bolt yokes, the rails will be tightlyclamped against the cross bars 2 having the flanges 3 which overhang theouter portions of the rail flanges. The rails will thus be held wlthabsolute security, and lateral displacement will be impossible under anycircumstances that are liable to occur.

Under the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 7the troughshaped casting which constitutes the bottom of the tie isprovided with rail-supporting partitions 12 adjacent to which the railflange engaging hook members, here designated 13, are formed. The innercavity of the tie is also reinforced by longitudinal ribs or flanges 14extending between the rail supporting partitions 12.

Under the modified form illustrated in Figs. 5 and 8,the body of thetie, here designated A, is formed of sheet metal such as boiler plate ofsuitable thickness. Under this construction, it becomes necessary toform the stop members or lugs, here designated 5, by stamping orstriking the same up from the metallic body, While the cross bars 2'having the overhanging flanges 3 are secured in position by -means offast'ening members, such as bolts 15.

In Fig. 9, the body of the tie, here designated A is formed of castmetal, and it is provided with a top plate 16 integral therewith andextending the entire length thereof.

In Fig. 10, the semi-circular tie body, here designated A is shown as asolid casting of semi-circular cross section.

In Fig. 11 the tie body, the construction of which is essentially thesame as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6, is provided with a filling 17 ofconcrete or other suitable plastic material. It is desired to beunderstood that any of the diflerent forms of the invention, exceptingof course the one which consists of a solid casting, as illustrated inFig. 10, may be provided with a similar filling which constitutes apermanent portion of the tie, instead of being simply filled with looseballast.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawingshereto annexed, the operation and advantages of the invention will bereadily understood. The improved tie which is extremely simple inconstruction may be manufactured at a moderate expense. It ispractically indestructible. The rails, while held withabsolute security,may be readily removed when required without loosening or interferingwith the road bed, and the rails when in position will be held with adegree of security which absolutely precludes displacement.

As shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, springs, 21, may be interposedbetween the nuts 9 and the rail flanges for the purpose of resilientlyconnecting the parts. These springs, however, may be omitted whendesired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. A railroad tie comprising a metallic body of approximatelysemi-circular cross section provided upon its upper side with cross barshaving inwardly extending rail engaging flanges and upon its undersidewith downwardly extending stop members positioned beneath the railsupporting portions of the tie, in combination with rail fasteningmembers engaging and cooperating with said stop members and held therebyin an inclined position to draw the rail in the direction of the flangedcross bars.

2. A railroad tie comprising a metallic body of approximatelysemi-circular cross section provided upon its upper side with cross barshaving inwardly extending rail engaging flanges and upon its undersidewith stop members positioned beneath the rail supporting portions of thetie, in combination with yoke-shaped rail engaging bolt membersembracing the tie and abut ting upon the stop members.

3. A railroad tie comprising a metallic body of approximatelysemi-circular cross section provided upon its upper side with cross barshaving inwardly extending rail engaging flanges and upon its undersidewith stop members positioned beneath the rail supporting portions of thetie, in combination with rail engaging bolt members embracing the tieand abutting upon the stop members whereby said yokes are main tained ina tilted position, and nuts threaded upon the ends of the yokes andsquarely meeting the' inclined upper faces of the rail flanges.

4. A railroad tie comprising a troughshaped metallic body ofapproximately semi-circular cross section provided upon its upper sidewith cross bars having rail engaging members and upon its underside withstop members, in combination with rail engaging yoke shaped bolt membersembracing the body of the tie and abutting upon the stop members; thetrough-shaped body of the tie being provided with a permanent filling ofplastic material.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER J. BELL.

Witnesses:

WM. BAGGER, BENNETT S. JONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

